The new hair tribes: long v short

We spoke with George Northwood about how to recreate two of our favourite award season looks: the textured bob and the modern beach wave

When it comes to hair trends this spring the overriding message is messy is best. Whether you opt for the shorter look like Rosie and Kim or a longer 'do a la Beyoncé or Chrissy, both styles reference the same idea: a dishevelled take on a classic.

The best news? With these effortlessly feminine and fringe-free styles, anyone - regardless of face shape - can pull them off. To get the lowdown on the look we spoke with hair master (and the man responsible for both Rosie’s recent chop and many a great Alexa hair moment) George Northwood...

The textured bob

The shorter style, spotted on the likes of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Kim Kardashian and Sienna Miller is a laid back take on the long bob. Nicknamed the ‘'wob’ (a.k.a the wavy bob) George explained that the focus here is on texture and volume.

With Rosie’s recent shorter 'do George told us, “I created a feminine cut by keeping the hair longer at the front and cutting it shorter at the back. Bobs can look mumsy so the key to keeping it modern and fresh is the element of grunge, which is achieved by chopping into the hair to achieve a shaggy look."

George recommends: “When blow-drying this style, use a big barrel brush or if your hair is too short for this just rough dry the hair using a standard nozzle and then use curling tongs to add in a few extra waves. The key is to keep it messy - the more random the better!”

The modern beach wave

While referencing a similarly grungy mood spotted with the textured bob, the new beach wave is relaxed right through to the colour.

For hair that rivals Beyoncé or Chrissy Teigen, George recommends spraying wet hair with heat protection spray, rough drying the hair and then using a wide barrel curling tong to create the shape (he favours the new GHD range). “To create this relaxed wave, make sure to leave the roots and ends straight,” he explains. To hold the wave in place George suggests finishing with a light hair spray such as Redken Fashion Work.

In terms of the colour the emphasis here is keeping the look as natural as possible. “Due to the relaxed nature of the look, highlights run the danger of looking too ‘done’ so ask your hairdresser for the balayage technique instead which will ensure a softer, more understated looking colour,” says George. Sally, George’s sister and colour expert at his Soho salon, explains that hand painting the bleach into the hair guarantees the most realistic sunkissed look as possible.

In keeping with the relaxed grungy vibe of the wave, the style is super low maintenance and George even favours grown out, darker roots - as long as you don’t end up with a dip dye that is...

With the upcoming shift in seasons and warmer weather calling for a more relaxed hair style the only question that remains is will you be going short or long?

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